Details
Creator Birch, William Russell, 1755-1834.
Contributor Birch, Thomas, 1779-1851, artist.
Seymour, Samuel, 1796-1823, engraver.
W. Birch & Son.
R. Campbell & Co., distributor.
Birch, William Russell, 1755-1834, publisher.
Desilver, Robert, 1779-1837, publisher.
Folwell, Richard, 1768?-1814, printer.
McAllister, John, 1786-1877, publisher.
W. Birch & Son, publisher.
Title Views of Philadelphia [graphic].
Publisher Philadelphia
Publisher PA. Philadelphia. 1800-1860
Date 1800-1860, bulk 1800
Physical Description 106 prints : engravings, 26 hand-colored ; various sizes, most sheet 31 x 38 cm (12.25 x 15 in.)
Description Collection of prints from the various editions and restrikes of Birch's "Views of Philadelphia," originally published in 1800 as The City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania North America; as it appeared in the year 1800. Four editions of the views, purchased through subscription and totaling 44 unique plates including a map of the city and title page with vignette, were published by William Birch in Philadelphia from 1800 until 1828. First and largest edition contained 29 plates, the pictorial views drawn by Thomas Birch and engraved by Samuel Seymour between 1798 and 1800; with the map and title page executed by script engraver William Barker. Bookseller Robert Campbell is listed as a seller on many of these plates, but appears to have been disassociated with the project before publication of the bound volume. Second edition of 22 plates was published in 1804. Third edition of 14 plates was published in 1809. Fourth edition of 12 plates was published between 1827 and 1828. The first and second edition were printed by Philadelphia printer, Richard Folwell. The later editions, predominately completed by William Birch alone, contained reissues of selected plates from the first edition as well as new engravings of prominent city structures erected after 1800. In the 1840s restrikes of five plates were produced by bookseller Robert Desilver, and in the 1860s, twelve by the antiquarian John McAllister, Jr; many of the restrikes originally published in the fourth edition. Collection also contains the second edition copper plate of the Bank of Pennsylvania, and the fourth edition copper plate of The Late Theatre in Chestnut Street.
Series of late 18th and early 19th-century views of principal sections of the city of Philadelphia including primary streets, government buildings, local landmarks, and financial, religious, educational, and benevolent institutions. The series, the first of its kind in the United States, was created to attract new citizens and to illustrate to an international audience the vitality of the nation's premiere city. The views focus on structures, but also contain lively depictions of daily street life in Philadelphia. Plates depict Philadelphia's Delaware River port with the Penn Treaty Tree; several street views including Arch Street, High (Market) Street, and Third Street; city markets; city banks, such as the Bank of the U.S.; the State House (Independence Hall); Congress Hall; prominent churches, such as Christ Church; Pennsylvania Hospital; Library and Surgeon's Hall; Chestnut Street Theatre; the Alms House; Walnut Street Jail; the Water-Works; and the Schuylkill Bridge.
Is referenced by Snyder, City of Independence 199-227
Lane & Cresswell, Prints of Philadelphia 33
Notes See S. Robert Teitelman's Birch's views of Philadelphia. (Philadelphia: The Free Library of Philadelphia, 1982, rev. 2000).
Snyder, "William Birch: His Philadelphia views," The Pennsylvania magazine of history and biography 73 (July, 1949), p. 271-315.
Snyder, "Birch's Philadelphia views: New discoveries," The Pennsylvania magazine of history and biography 88 (April, 1964), p. 164-173.
Description revised 2021.
Access points revised 2021.
Biographical / historical note William Birch, trained in England, was a Philadelphia engraver, miniaturist, and enamel painter. He also engraved and published in 1804 "The Country Seats of the United States of North America."
Subject African Americans -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Asylums -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Banks -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Bridges -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Churches -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Government facilities -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Hospitals -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Indians of North America -- United States.
Indigenous peoples -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Libraries -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Markets -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Prisons -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Streets -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Theaters -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Women -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia.
Geographic subject Philadelphia (Pa.) -- Pictorial works.
Genre Engravings -- 1800-1860.
Photolithographs -- 1850-1860.
Printer Birch, William Russell, 1755-1834, publisher.
Desilver, Robert, 1779-1837, publisher.
Folwell, Richard, 1768?-1814, printer.
McAllister, John, 1786-1877, publisher.
W. Birch & Son, publisher.
Location Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| Birch's views [Sn 1 - Sn 43]
Accession number Sn 1 - Sn 43